Back to the Flotilla: Interview with Captain Stabbing

David Wilder , 03/11/10 00:00

לבן ריק

צילום: ערוץ 7

David Wilder

David Wilder was born in New Jersey in 1954, and graduated from Case Western Reserve University in 1976. He has been in Israel for over forty years. For over twenty years David Wilder worked with the Jewish Community of Hebron as English spokesman for the community, granting newspaper, television and radio interviews internationally. He has written hundreds of articles, appearing on Arutz Sheva, the Jerusalem Post and other publications. David is presently the Exec. Director of Eretz.Org. He conducts tours of Hebron's Jewish Community and meets with diverse groups, lecturing and answering questions. He occasionally travels abroad, speaking at various functions. He published, in English and Hebrew, Breaking the Lies, a booklet dealing with numerous issues concerning Hebron and Judea and Samaria. Additionally, David has published a number of ebooks of photographs and articles, available on Amazon or via www.davidwilder.org David Wilder is married to Ora, a 'Sabra,' for 38...

“WE’RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT NOW!” The outpouring of hate against Israel and the Jews after the flotilla incident was absolutely unprecedented. Jews around the world and other Lovers of Israel suddenly felt just like the Jews of Hebron – the Jews the media loves most to hate. We therefore decided to hold our annual fundraiser as a unique, united Zionist response to this situation. We must bring together the various groups that work for Israel in a show of confidence in the future of a united, large and strong Israel!

The whole world is concerned with the supposed suffering of the Arabs of the Gaza strip.

Yet while the Arabs build and open luxury hotels and state-of the-art shopping malls, the Jews of Hebron live in impossible conditions – with families with 6, 7 or more children living in 2-3 room apartments.

While the Arabs of Gaza are free to build wherever and whatever they like, our children are arrested for planting gardens and installing park benches in violation of the “building freeze”.

Our gardener – Yitzchak Imes, who tenderly cared for the Machpela Gardens – was brutally gunned down together with his wife and two neighbors in a recent terrorist attack.

While investors are free to invest in and develop the Gaza strip, Hebron properties purchased by Jews – whether in 1809 or in 2005 – are not free to be used by their legal owners.

While the Arabs of Gaza, their incessant construction and their terror regime are all subsidized by many "civilized" countries and NGO’s to the tune of billions of dollars per year, the tax deductible status of the meager donations to Hebron’s Jews comes under repeated scrutiny - for no good reason except for racism and Anti-Semitism.

Here's why our opponents are wrong:

1) Settlements are legal. When the US signed the 1924 San Remo accords, they became co-signers of the British Mandate in Palestine which calls for “close settlement of Jews upon their land.” The area in question included the West Bank!

2) Support for settlements is tax deductible! The fact that this administration may decide to fly in the face of US law and commitment does not negate the tax deduction on donations to Jewish causes on the West Bank. Even the NY Times wrote: “…the tax code encourages citizens to support nonprofit groups that may diverge from official policy, as long as their missions are educational, religious or charitable.”

In a series of events – in both Hebron and in New York – we raise our voices and take out our checkbooks in protest against the evil discrimination against the Jews of Hebron and Eretz Yisrael.

In Hebron on the Succot holiday, we celebrated the end of the building freeze – as promised by the Israeli government. Our Hebron Music Festival on Sept. 27th was attended by over 35,000 guests including hundreds of US donors and Israeli political leaders.

Now the time has come to do the same in New York City.

On November 16, join us in launching the Hebron Aid Flotilla!

Our event will be honoring some very special people:

“Gevurat Ha’Imahot” (Bravery of the Matriarchs) Awardee IDF Capt. Caroline Glick (ret.), who will also be our keynote speaker was named by “Maariv” as “the most prominent woman in Israel”. As chief diplomatic correspondent for Makor Rishon newspaper, deputy editor of the Jerusalem Post, editor of the political satire website “Latma TV” and a senior Middle East Fellow at Washington’s Center for Security Policy, Glick made history with her “We Con the World” video clip exposing the hypocrisy behind the Gaza Flotilla.

“Bonei Hevron” (Builders of Hebron) Awardees David & Jane Seidemann of Lawrence, NY. David is a longtime Hebron Fund Board member and former Fund President who is a very popular attorney, columnist and Long Island community leader.

"Chasdei Avot" (Charity of the Patriarchs) Awardees David & Joclyn Stern of Brooklyn, NY. David is the President of Brooklyn’s Young Israel of Midwood and has led a number of missions to Hebron. Both of them are beloved local activists and former repeat guests in Hebron for the special “Chayei Sarah” weekends attended by tens of thousands every year.

Magen Avraham (Abraham’s Shield) Awardees Fred & Carole Samuel of Fairlawn, New Jersey come and go to Hebron as if they live there and have made close personal ties with some of the local residents. Fred’s firm is currently spearheading an important security project for Hebron.

Aishet Chayil (Woman of Valor) Awardee Ester Arieh-Hatanian, is the mainstay of the Hebron Fund office in Brooklyn, NY. She is receiving the recognition she so justly deserves for over a decade of dedicated service above and beyond the call of duty.

Every single one of us must work together to fill the ship with 1000 people who will not only come out in support of Hebron, but will also have a fantastic time doing so!

If there ever was a time when you just have to stand up for the Jews of Hebron – Now is the time!